Syringes & sharps disposal

Kempsey Shire Council is committed to the safe disposal of syringes and other ‘sharps’ including needles, finger prickers (lancets) and other health-related sharp items that are used across the shire for a variety of purposes.

What should I do with my sharps waste?

Council provides free community sharps bins to help you safely dispose of sharp items used in your home.

You can find 240-litre community needles and sharps bins at these locations:

Crescent Head

• Rankine Street Carpark, corner of Scott and May streets, opposite the Country Club
• Council Waste Management Centre, Crescent Head Road

Hat Head

• Surf Club, corner of Bay and Myrtle street

Kempsey

• Kempsey District Hospital, River Street, at the end of the old hospital building
• Elbow Street, near the public toilet block
• Stuart Street Carpark, near the access ramp into the East West Plaza
• Kempsey Community Health Centre, on the corner of Polwood and Tozer streets

South West Rocks

• Council carpark, corner of Paragon Avenue and Gregory Street, near the public toilet
• South West Rocks Community Health Centre, 9 Eagleton Drive

Stuarts Point

• Stuarts Point Community Hall/Library, Marine Parade

Other venues

Various public toilets in Kempsey Shire also have one-litre metal containers for your personal sharps waste. 

All public hospitals and community health centres across New South Wales also have sharps bins.

Who can use the community sharps bins?

Community sharps bins are for residents and visitors, not businesses. All businesses that generate sharps waste are legally required to arrange a contractor to collect and dispose of that waste.

How should I deal with sharps at home?

At home, you can store your used sharps in a plastic puncture-proof container with a lid or a yellow sharps container, then take these to a local community sharps bin.

For the safety of your family, friends and community, never put sharps in a red household bin, yellow recycling bin or public rubbish bins, and never drop sharps on the ground. 

What if I find a needle or syringe?

If you find a syringe in a public place, phone Kempsey Shire Council on 6566 3200 or the NSW Needle Clean Up Hotline on 1800 633 353.

Teach your children never to pick up community sharps but to call an adult.

Did you know?

• Many people regularly use needles and syringes for legitimate health needs. For example, people managing diabetes generate more than 70,000 sharps each year in the Kempsey Shire.
• Other sources of community-generated sharps include people on home dialysis or home chemotherapy, people who inject steroids, people who inject prescription or other drugs, people who inject their animals and people who use injectable beauty products.
• NSW Health and Kempsey Shire Council do not condemn or condone illegal drug use: we aim to reduce harm to the individual and the community by ensuring sharps are disposed of correctly.